# Welcoming customers through connected experiences
Author:  Pal Sinha,Barnali
Author URL: https://economystandard.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali/
Published: 2021-06-28
Category: Business
Category URL: https://economystandard.com/category/business/
Meta Title: The Future of Retail: Delivering Seamless Omnichannel Exp...
Meta Description: Brian Atkinson, GM and VP EMEA at Five9, emphasizes the importance of agility and adaptability in the retail landscape. Find out how to keep customers happy ...
URL: https://economystandard.com/welcoming-customers-through-connected-experiences/

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By Brian Atkinson, GM and VP EMEA at [Five9](https://www.five9.com/)

The expectation for a great customer experience is higher than ever as we enter into a

new era of retail. Those who show agility and adaptability in the market will go the

distance, those that don’t will follow in the same footsteps as the likes of

Debenhams. The future of the retail landscape is uncertain, but by offering seamless

and swift customer service across all channels, brands can keep consumers happy

and most importantly – loyal.

To do this, brands need to provide customers with answers and solutions to their

issues quickly and effectively Over the continuous lockdowns, contact centres became

the ‘new front door’ to businesses –

welcoming customers and even once stores reopened, they remained an integral part

of the customer journey.

**Expectations have been set**

Year after year, customers continue to have high expectations for brands. From

knowing who they are, their previous interactions and history with the brand when

they contact customer service, to resolving issues and answering questions first time.

It’s all about delivering seamless omnichannel experiences with a human connection.

Despite the pandemic, these consumer expectations have remained relatively

unchanged – even amongst the most loyal customers. [Recent research](https://bakerretail.wharton.upenn.edu/wharton-baker-wiseplum-consumer-loyalty-study/) carried out

during and after the pandemic shutdowns found only 15% of retailers’ loyalty members

felt their customer service issues were resolved on their first attempt. Meanwhile, only

50% of customers reported that they felt completely satisfied with the resolution of their

problem.

With so much disruption caused by the pandemic, being agile, adaptive and

responsive to change and to customers’ needs, makes all the difference between

thriving and going out of business. It is also making the difference between inspiring

customers’ loyalty and losing them to more agile competitors.

**Don’t jeopardise loyalty**

Brands are under more pressure than ever to deliver. Demand is beginning to outweigh

supply as eCommerce retailers [scramble for extra warehouse space](https://www.ft.com/content/1ddf26ac-6bf5-4fb0-bdec-8ab70d61197f) to fulfil

orders. Those unable to handle the ongoing number of queries and are too slow to

respond to customer needs risk breaking their trust and jeopardising brand loyalty.

No doubt that retailers’ goals are to deliver a modern, seamless, omnichannel customer experience. To do this successfully, however, they need integrated solutions that help agents to deliver the right information at the right time to solve consumer  issues. Too often, retailers struggle with using multiple systems in the contact centre that aren’t connected. Brands may have a great online, mobile, or in-store experience, but if that experience is different across the interaction channels and fails to deliver what the customer was expecting, they risk losing them for life. The key to delivering modern

retail customer service is to move their customer service to the cloud to gain the flexibility, agility and scalability needed to deliver on customer expectations of a fast and seamless service.

**Equip agents with the tools they actually need**

Omnichannel experiences are standard practice for modern businesses. But delivering

on omnichannel is like aiming at a shifting target. New channels are always emerging,

customers are continually adopting new digital practices, and their expectations never

stop evolving.

Customer experience leaders that are at the top of their game know that offering faster,

more connected experiences that delight their customers is critical for keeping them

happy and building their loyalty.

The only way to do this is to use a cloud contact centre that is integrated with key

operational systems such as CRM solutions. Retailers need to be connected to various

applications for marketing, sales, finance, IT, and workforce optimisation. A connected

cloud platform will enable businesses to be predictive and proactive, so agents are

equipped to offer real-time resolution that regains and secures customer loyalty.

**What’s important now**

The impact from the pandemic is ever-growing. Nobody, especially retailers, could

have predicted the acceleration of digital channels and ecommerce sites. But, by

being agile and adaptable, – especially when it comes to contact centres – retailers can

better serve customers. Brands which continuously provide great experiences will drive

brand loyalty and ultimately reap the rewards.


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